#computersnewwest

Computer related tips and tricks as well as industry news and alerts to keep you safe while connected.

Concept Computers

Oct 3, 2019
2 min

Serving Your Computer Is Essential

Having your computer serviced is essential to keeping your system running smoothly, much like getting the oil changed in your car. Not many people know how often to do it though. The short answer to this question is at least once a year for major servicing or as needed if your computer is running slow. This does not include regular maintenance which should be done weekly (we're talking updates and patches, virus scans etc.). So what should a full computer servicing entail? He

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Concept Computers

Sep 18, 2019
1 min

What's in a Headset?

When you're building your gaming set-up you have quite a few accessories to think about. The bottom line is with any accessory, you want it to last and you want it to be comfortable. Let's talk headsets. This is something you are going to be wearing for long periods of time so comfort should be one of your top considerations. Does is pinch anywhere? Does it actually fit around your head and ears? If you wear glasses do they interfere with your headset? Second, how does it sou

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Concept Computers

Sep 9, 2019
2 min

What is FPS?

Last week we started talking about PC Gaming jargon. For anyone just getting into it, the terminology can be extremely daunting. We're here to help you look like a pro. Let's get started with our next term, well acronym really: FPS. FPS stands for frame rate per second. This is essentially how many "pictures" (frames) your system can display per second, which will affect the appearance of your game and whether it runs smoothly, lags or stutters. Many games have a lot of infor

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Concept Computers

Sep 9, 2019
1 min

Defragging: An Oldie But A Goodie

We're back with more PC Gaming Geek Talk! Today we'll talk about an oldie, but a goodie: Defragging. Defragging is short form for saying defragmentation. In a spinning hard drive, information is stored in blocks and overtime, these blocks, even when related to each other can be stored in various places on the hard drive causing retrieval to lag slightly as it retrieves info from multiple locations. Depending on your operating system and settings, this can become noticeable af

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Concept Computers

Sep 3, 2019
1 min

What is Overclocking?

If you're just getting into gaming, the terminology can be a bit daunting. We're here to help. Over the next little while we'll go over some of the most common computer-related gaming terminology. Let's get started: overclocking. Overclocking is essentially the action of making your computer run faster than it was meant to run. This most commonly applies to CPUs (central processing units), but other components can be overclocked too. When a component is overclocked, it will p

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Concept Computers

Aug 29, 2019
2 min

Protecting Your Documents

Say you've worked hard on a report, or you are sharing sensitive material. Chances are you don't want just anyone altering it, or the wrong people reading it. Do you know how to create read-only files? What about password-protected files? Creating a read-only document is a simple way to make sure no one can edit your document. To save a document as read-only you can do one of two things once you have created your document: 1. Click File --> The Info menu is highlighted by def

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Concept Computers

Aug 25, 2019
1 min

The Best Free Student Software

Living on a student budget can be tough, but there are a few awesome deals out there that your student ID can get you! Check out these free software deals for students: 1. G suite for education - one of the most useful software services, G Suite for education includes Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, Google Forms, Jamboard, Sites, Hangouts Meet, Groups and Vault 2. Cold Turkey - block study distractions like internet browsing (or specific

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Concept Computers

Aug 22, 2019
1 min

Computer Specs for Students

We spent some time scouring University website for their recommendations and combined them with our knowledge to bring you a list of computer specs you should look for when purchasing a laptop for school. Based on the varying scope of work you are likely to undertake at school, we definitely advise going with a laptop with a full operating system and higher capabilities as opposed to tablets and netbooks. Look for a PC with the following specs: - Windows 10 operating system -

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Concept Computers

Aug 20, 2019
1 min

Playing God on Your Computer

Do you want to modify something on your computer, but you're unsure where in the Start menu to find it? Not even sure what is in the Start menu? It's time to play God. The aptly named "God Mode" folder is something you can actually create to view and access administrative tools and settings in once place. By enabling this folder you will have access to the following categories all in one easily accessible place: Administrative Tools AutoPlay Backup and Restore Color Managemen

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Concept Computers

Aug 19, 2019
1 min

Expect Small Changes

It's almost time for another Windows update! But fear not - it is not a major overhaul like most of its bi-annual predecessors. The 1909 or 19H2 update was announced as "less disruptive" and will not require a lengthy restart and install. You can expect the following changes to appear sometime in late September or October: 1. Event creation in the taskbar system tray's calendar without having to open the calendar app; instead you can just click on the date you wish to add an

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Dual Monitors to Increase Your Productivity

Concept Computers

Aug 14, 2019
1 min

Dual Monitors to Increase Your Productivity

Student life is all about productivity and much of that life is spent in front of the computer. There have been published studies that show computer productivity increases anywhere from 20 to 50% when dual monitors are used. Why? In a nutshell: multi-tasking. Ever tried to read a paper online and take notes or paraphrase in a word document at the same time? Not that easy. Add another monitor into the mix and you can read on one screen and write on the other. You can research

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Concept Computers

Aug 12, 2019
2 min

Optimize Your Windows Taskbar

The taskbar is probably one of the most used features on your PC. But are you using it to its potential? Have a look at some ways you can customize your Windows Taskbar experience: To access many of these features you'll need to be in your taskbar settings. To do so click on your Start menu --> settings (the gear icon) --> type in taskbar in the search bar (the box that says "Find a Setting" and select "Taskbar Settings" from the drop down menu that appears. 1. Move the taskb

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The Lenovo 100E Chromebook - Engineered for Education

Concept Computers

Aug 6, 2019
1 min

The Lenovo 100E Chromebook - Engineered for Education

Back to School is just around the corner! We've got a special that will fit any student's budget. Say hello to the Lenovo 100E Chromebook. This bad boy is engineered for education! It features an 11.6-in anti-glare Chromebook that is light, portable, rugged, and productive. With its 2.4 GHz Intel Celeron dual-core processor, the 100E seamlessly runs the Chrome OS operating system and has military-grade durability. Built tough with rubber bumpers, reinforced ports, and a 180-d

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Concept Computers

Jul 31, 2019
2 min

The Concept Computers Story

They say one of the great things about supporting small business is that you know the people you are dealing with. We thought we'd share a little about us. Concept Computers is a fully family owned and operated business. Here is our story: In 1984, with a two year old and newborn baby at home Dwight Dubowits opened Westcoast Computers from the ashes of a failed publishing venture, a community newspaper called the North Shore Weekly, which among other assets for sale, had two

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Do You Know What Your App's Permissions Are?

Concept Computers

Jul 31, 2019
1 min

Do You Know What Your App's Permissions Are?

For security and privacy reasons, it's a good idea to check what your downloaded apps have access to. For example, it was recently discovered that the Netflix app was accessing physical activity data on mobile devices using a recent version of Android. They claimed to be using the data to see if people were using their streaming services while on the move (walking, biking, running, driving) but did not say how they would be using the data. This is not something one would intu

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Concept Computers

Jul 29, 2019
2 min

Laptop or Tablet?

Choosing between a laptop and tablet can be confusing. The biggest consideration should really be what you plan on using it for. If you want to strictly play around on the internet, check email, watch streamed or downloaded media, listen to music or store photos then a tablet is probably for you. If you plan on using it for more complicated projects, like extensive document writing or editing, editing media, storing large amounts of data, or really anything that requires a lo

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Why Are There So Many Different USB Ports?

Concept Computers

Jul 24, 2019
1 min

Why Are There So Many Different USB Ports?

Ever look at computer specs and notice there are two or even 3 different types of USB ports? Wondering what the difference is between a USB 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1? Wonder no more! The USB 3.0 is the newer version of the two, by about 8 years and the 3.1 beats the 3.0 by another 6 years. A 3.0 is about 10 times faster than a 2.0, provides more power and conserves more power when necessary. Unlike a 2.0, a 3.0 USB can receive and transmit information at the same time, whereas the for

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Enabling Family Safety Features on your Windows Devices

Concept Computers

Jul 22, 2019
2 min

Enabling Family Safety Features on your Windows Devices

Do you have small humans in your house? No matter what the age, chances are they have taken an interest in your computer and / or devices. Have you considered setting parental controls and do you know how? Setting up a Microsoft account for your child is a great way to allow your littles to safely peruse the internet, download appropriate apps and even limit time spent on devices. The nice thing about the Microsoft account is that it can be used to log into various devices an

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Increasing Your Email App's Attachment Limit

Concept Computers

Jul 18, 2019
2 min

Increasing Your Email App's Attachment Limit

Did you know that your email app and your email service provider may have different attachment size limits? If you send an email with an attachment that your app allows, but is too big for your service provider then your message will likely be deemed undeliverable. For example, Gmail and Yahoo allow attachments of 25 MB per message while Outlook.com and Hotmail cap your attachments at 10 MB. If you are logging into your email on the web, this shouldn't be a problem. However,

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Concept Computers

Jul 16, 2019
1 min

Using Version History in MS Word

Have you ever been working on a project, maybe late at night on a deadline, and gone back the following day, read it over only to find yourself baffled at your train of thought? What were you thinking? Where was your head? Even worse - why did you SAVE that? Don't despair, there is hope! Did you know you can go back and work off your version history? That means you can go back and follow your train of thought or see where you went off the rails. To check your version history:

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CONCEPT

COMPUTERS

North Vancouver

Vancouver

Lower Mainland

604-986-7680

604-971-5250

Concept Computer Corporation